The above image is one of 12 that are part of a new show that opens Saturday 1st May at Belsay Hall, Northumberland, UK. The show is titled Extraordinary Measures and features work by Ron Mueck, Tessa Farmer, Mat Collishaw and many others - all scattered around the gardens and buildings of Belsay, an English Heritage property.My installations were placed around Belsay last summer and photographed for the show - visitors can now track down all the images around the grounds, placed where the installations once were. This is my first work outside of an urban area and takes on the theme of tourism and the joys of the day trip - so expect to find images of dodgy ice cream vans, alternative 'donkey' rides, toilet queues, depressing picnics, bored school kids and gift shop dramas. The show runs until 26th September 2010.

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I finally have some new 25mm badge sets available - as well as an Inner City Snail 38mm badge. Clickety-click below for more details!

The Brief: A Herd of Moose (on spec)The Critique: I'm not really a moose fan. I'm really like a deer and elk fan. but I do like the bunnies. Dadda, can you please get started drawing an elk?Job Status: Rejected

To commemorate the occasion, I put together a “walk through the halls” photo essay. Come on by and say Hi. It’s a peak inside the offices along with a quick introduction to some of the people behind the books.

The Brief: Like last time, but with rhinosThe Critique: Uh, why'd you do all rhinos? Why did you do their legs so skinny? What are those little wings? What, actually, do they eat -- like, what is their prey? What?!? They eat plants?!?Job Status: Rejected

Anyone following Donato Giancola’s website closely has seen a few new Lord of the Rings drawings and paintings. That’s because he’s working on what sounds like a dream job, a Tolkien inspired art book for Underwood Books (the publishers of Spectrum.)

Donato took advantage of the time spent on MicroVisions to creat this portriat of Dwarf Telchar forging Aragorn’s sword, Narsil, which will also appear in th ebook.

I’m getting so excited to see this little show. It will be on the walls at the Society of Illustrators starting April 27th. The auction will be the first or second week of May — stay tuned for details!

Okay, who called Michael Kaluta and told him I have a thing for cranes? It’s true. I love cranes and herons, and pictures of cranes and herons. And I love the ballet of necks and beaks in this drawing.

Michael, a huge thanks to you, good sir! Like the rest, it’ll be a heartbreak to send it away.

It’s always fun to re-consider designs when books move from hardcover to trade paperback. Even just a few years can make you want to update a bit.

I started playing around with the color translucent panels and then, as always, meetings took over my days. Once the mechanical was labeled “Late!” I threw it off to designer Jamie Stafford-hill and said, “Kinda like this only, you know, good.” And, as always he delivered.

Cities in the Air is an omnibus of the first two novels in Karl Schroeder’s Virga series. Pirate Sun being the third volume. Two more (for now?) to come. I look forward to seeing the whole set in my favorite format.

The Brief: Some animals in AfricaThe Critique:"You already showed me it. Why didn't you keep the rhino in?""Because I didn't like the rhino.""I want the Rhino!""Aside from the Rhino, what do you think?""All I care about is the Rhino."Job Status: Rejected

What could you say to a man about his painting? What could you say that would impress him and yet let him know that his work has informed your own struggle to learn throughout your life?

John Schoenherr’s work has been a part of my life since I was a kid, looking at an Analog cover in my favorite drug store. I was drawn in by the mysterious shapely woman in a tree, accompanied by her gigantic otter. From across the store one could tell that they were friends. This is when I began to realize that painting could not only be fun, it could touch an emotional chord.

From an early age I could tell that John’s work had a certain kind of stiffness in its application compared to other great painters whose brushwork was supple and relaxed. John’s had a rigid quality to it that couldn’t be avoided, yet it’s graphic composition was unrelenting. He captured light in a graceful manner, pulling your eye to just the most important elements and finished it all like the power of a museum piece.

In all of my art school years, I knew a painter when I saw one. I was never tempted to exclude a commercial artist’s gems from a life dedicated to the almighty gallery world. John’s work showed me that painting transcends application when it truly touches the spirit, whether it was a subtle portrait of a renaissance woman, an experiment in abstract color, or a humungous sandworm cresting a dune.

The fact is, you can’t really say much to a painter like this that wouldn’t make you sound like a simpleton, or the uber fanboy. I never got to meet John Schoenherr. He passed away April 8th having expressed what I believe he must’ve surely loved to paint right up until his last day.

And every artist after him that I have ever enjoyed or has shown me how powerful painted images can be, I will thank them, profusely, like I wish I could’ve mustered the will to do with John.

About a year ago Scott started a super-cute series of drawings about aliens landing in central park and scoping out NY. I fell in love with the guys and have been asking him, “What’s their story!?” ever since.

Scott is also the chairman of the Society of Illustrators student scholarship exhibit — he knows first hand how much the work of all the MicroVision artists is appreciated by the students. The Scholarship program is a huge job so extra thanks goes to Scott for taking the time to participate.

The Brief (From Facebook contest winner Kelsey Quiring): A pirate puppy on a pirate ship. And he caught a colorful fish in the ocean. And there's lots of blood.The Critique (From TAD as usual): Well I was wondering, why did he catch a butterfly fish? Why didn't he catch a goldfish? You should draw it like: blood streaming down the butterfly fish. Where's the blood? I want there to be a bit more blood. I want there to be like blood streaming down and dripping.Job Status: ApprovedArtist's Request: Please keep your feet off the painting.Additional Comments: How's the pirate going to get that alligator off the ship? Probably stick his hook right through his heart. I hope the puppy wins. Can you draw some more blood streaming down? Please?

This one by Mélanie Delon. (She of the Spectrum 16 cover.) If you head over to Tor.com, you can get the inside scoop on how we got here, including a nifty progression through various stages of the painting.

Mélanie Delon’s work is exemplified by utilizing detail and soft focus, creating images that blur the edges between realism and fantasy. It was a great match for a moment of surrender and rebirth, a moment when Nynaeve must disengage from her usual character traits and, if just for second, open herself up.

Omar‘s work has a lightness and humor that makes it impossible not to smile when you see it. It’s easy to see how charming and witty it is — and it's easy to forget all the backbreaking hard work that goes into honing that kind of grace in paint. Just the way it should be.

It's a lot easier to just write a check to help a cause like this. I've done that before. But the more Justin told me about what they were doing and after talking to their founder I knew I wanted to do more than that.

As I thought about everything today a thought crossed my mind and it inspired the above design.

"Adventure never happens when you're comfortable."

So even though It stretches my comfort zone I look forward to the experience that lays before me and I want to thank those of you who have helped to support this cause because without that it wouldn't happen.

Allen Williams just emailed me his contribution for the MicroVisions auction. And now I am getting very excited about this mini-exhibit.

Allen created the painting voted “Most Likely to be Stolen by Irene” at the first Illustration Master Class. I love his ability to know just when to push and pull edges — creating images that are both detailed and highly ethereal. He’s one of those painters that I wish I could step into their eyes and see the world as they see it.

Allen has been writing (damn, overachiever ;-) and illustrating a series of kids book for Little Brown, due out next fall. I’ve seen bits of pieces of the drawings and they look amazing. His blog, I just Draw, shows a few sneak-peaks.